The first bill President Obama ever signed as President was the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act. The law amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It clarified the statute of limitations on bringing a claim of wage discrimination. Before the passing of the law and according to a 2007 Supreme Court case, the statute of limitations began when the wage discrimination began (presumably when a woman started her job). This meant that by the time a woman learned of the wage disparity, the statute of limitations may have already been fulfilled.

The default presumption for an employer/employee relationship across the United States is “at-will”. What does “at-will” mean? In an at-will relationship, employment can be terminated at any time and for any reason. This is a two-way street. While the employer can fire an employee at any time, so too can an employee resign his or her employment whenever they choose, without providing any notice or reason. At-will employment can be controversial. On one hand, employees are free to take up employment and leave when they prefer. Employers can dismiss their workers as and how business requires. Yet in a relationship in which only one party (the employer) has the upper hand- the consequences for a vulnerable employee left without a salary or security can be devastating. It is contrary to our sense of decency that careers can simply be taken away on a whim.

Many employees, and potential employees experience harassment and discrimination based on their gender, disability, race or sexual orientation. Sometimes the behavior is subtle, and sometimes it is overt. Whatever the situation, it is always inexcusable. Federal laws exist to combat discrimination.

The person that handed you your last greasy hamburger, plate of fries, or coffee cup could very well be making less an hour than your entire order costs.

The Fair Labor Standards Act was implemented in 1938 to set employee payment regulations. Minimum wage, the forty-hour work week, and overtime are just a few of the items covered under the FLSA. Although employers are required by law to meet at least the minimum requirement nationwide, the federal minimum wage is still only $7.25 an hour, and this doesn’t reach the living wage in even the poorest areas in the United States. It doesn’t even pay for a coffee and sandwich at Starbucks.

What is an independent contractor? How does a worker know if they are supposed to be an independent contractor or an employee? To determine a worker classification, one must look at the relationship between the person preforming services and the employer. An independent contractor classification is not something that can be defined by a job description.

During the 2014-2015 NFL post-season, New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady was charged with deflating footballs in order to make them easier to throw and catch. This scandal was dubbed “Deflategate.”

“I’m pregnant,” can be the happiest phrase a person hears in their life (or the most terrifying). If a couple has been trying to become pregnant for years and their prayers have finally been answered, the news may be exciting. If an employer is trying to manage a business and his or her employee says, “I’m pregnant,” the news may be discomforting.

Questions around voter ID laws have circulated the Country over this past year. From Texas to North Carolina, courts have commented on the constitutionality of these laws. This will likely have an impact on voters come November.

On May 18, 2016, the federal government announced the final changes to the overtime rule— changes that will impact white collar, non-exempt FLSA workers. This announcement brought about many questions for the future of employees and organizations, specifically non-profit organizations. The changes seemed to impact donations and production for those organizations in this tax classification. Here are six challenges that non-profits could see with the new rules:

Have you ever left your job and moved your family across the country for a job that doesn’t live up to its description? Unfortunately, many people have. In some cases, either the job offer or the company itself collapses. In others, the actual job turns out to have nothing in common with the job that was offered. Entire lives can be ruined this way. Why? Once the decision to leave previous employment has been made, it can very difficult for people to return. This is why accurate job descriptions are so important.

For more than 30 years, the lawyers at Parks, Chesin & Walbert have been committed to representing clients in a wide array of litigation matters, including constitutional disputes, employment discrimination, civil rights, class actions, government contracting, and catastrophic injury cases.